


Instantaneous

by SpiralSpace



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Child Glimmer, Emetophobia, Gen, Teleportation Complication
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-16
Updated: 2019-04-16
Packaged: 2020-01-14 20:54:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 982
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18484180
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpiralSpace/pseuds/SpiralSpace
Summary: Incredible magical powers are a lot of responsibility for a six-year-old.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> “I don’t have enough energy to teleport us all. Not without leaving someone’s legs behind.”

Teleportation felt nice. From the outside, it took no time at all but for her there was a long hanging moment in the middle, where Glimmer felt like she weighed nothing, and the light all around her was also inside her and also kind of was her? It was hard to say what it was like, exactly, but it was definitely nice. And Aunt Casta said she was the only one in the entire world who could teleport, so she was probably the only one who knew that. Well, her and Sir Bearsworth.

As the six year old princess walked the halls of Bright Moon, she held tightly to one of Sir Bearsworth’s stuffed paws. His feet and her long pink hair both trailed slightly along the floor behind her.

One of the palace guards moved out into her way. “Princess," she said, "they’re waxing the hallway floor ahead. It’s quite slippery. You can still get to your room, but I’m afraid you’ll have to take the long way around.”

Princess Glimmer nodded, and turned the next corner, gathering her power as she passed out of the guard’s sight. The grown ups said that the Moonstone’s magic had been given to her so that she could protect Etheria, and that it wasn’t to be used frivolously. But a princess couldn’t be late to take tea with her advisors! If anything warranted it, it was this. She fell out of the world, and through the bright in-between, and back into the world again. This time, a foot above her bunk bed. She looked around at all the advisors scattered on the bed around her, Professor Hoot and Miss Foxie and… Sir Bearsworth’s head was gone.

“Sir Bearsworth!” she opened her mouth to say. But nothing came out. It was then that she realized she couldn’t breathe. Glimmer doubled over and retched reflexively. Something slimy, wiry and pink plapped onto her mattress. It was her own hair.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Runestones choose their princesses, and not just the Stone of Protection. Sure, as a matter of routine it falls along family lines, but ultimately the decision of who should wield the stone's power lies with the stone itself.
> 
> As an angelic being, Queen Angella has a link to and an understanding of the First Ones that allows her to interact with runestones, even though she is not a princess. When the royal family of Bright Moon were slain early in the war, it was decided that she should care for the moonstone, and the kingdom, until it selected a new princess. Nobody expected that it would choose her daughter.

Glimmer groaned, her throat still sore, though less than it had been. She sat up in bed and stared groggily at the ladder. She’d loved the idea of a bunk bed, she’d asked for one and been given it by her perplexed mother despite the fact that there was nobody to sleep in the bottom bunk. But right now that ladder just seemed like a lot more effort than it was worth. Maybe she could just…

Glimmer came all the way awake. Maybe she could just climb down the ladder completely normally! Or better yet, very carefully. Her stuffed animals stared at her, their faces full of reproach, and pity. She got up.

-

Once dressed, she went for a walk, ending up at the chamber where the Rebellion leadership meetings were held.

Queen Angella was speaking animatedly to her advisors. Glimmer hadn’t seen her this emotional since before… something. She couldn’t remember what. She often felt vaguely like things used to be different somehow, though the when and the why eluded her. She waited by the door.

“But she could have DIED!”

Aunt Castaspella murmured something in her mother’s ear, too quiet for Glimmer to catch.

“She’s a child, of course she’s going to use them again. And it’s not like we can just take her powers away, the moonstone chose her!

...

Wait, could we? What if we forced the moonstone to choose again? It must be possible!”

“The stones were placed on Etheria by the First Ones. Surely whatever the current situation, it can’t be more dangerous than interrupting their plan,” an advisor contributed. “If something went wrong…”

“Something’s already gone wrong! The moonstone grants the ability to manipulate light, nowhere in all of recorded history is there a word of it making a princess do what Glimmer can! What if my bloodline is interfering with its functions?”

“Your highness, I must object, this is heresy! The selection has kept Etheria safe for centuries. We can’t just assume to know better than the stones!”

“I don’t give a DAMN about the stones, my DAUGHTER is in danger!”

Glimmer tugged on her mother’s sleeve. Angella went still. “Glimmer, how long have you been up?” she asked quietly. When her daughter didn’t reply, she continued. “How are you feeling? Any pain anywhere? I was so worried...” The queen looked like she was about to cry.

Glimmer hoisted herself up on the edge of the next chair, and sat down. “Mom, it won’t happen again,” she said solemnly. "I promise."

There was something uncanny about looking down to see such a determined, serious expression on her young child's face. Queen Angella found that she believed her daughter completely.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before returning to Mystacor for... personal reasons, Castaspella was Glimmer's magic teacher.

“So I was thinking we’d start off easy,” Aunt Casta said, nervously. “Just some short hops, to make sure we still have the basics down.”

“Actually I was wondering, could we go back to working on light manifestation for now?” Glimmer asked.

Her teacher was caught slightly off guard. “Are- are you sure? You were so excited to keep working on your teleportation last lesson…”

“Yes. I think that would be the responsible thing to do.”

“Of course,” Aunt Casta replied. Glimmer had never seen a grown up look relieved and worried at the same time before. “First, quiet your feelings and find your connection to the Stone…”

\- - -

Sir Bearsworth’s funeral took place on a cold, foggy morning just outside of Bright Moon. It was a quiet affair, with only Queen Angella and Princess Glimmer in attendance, plus four palace guards to serve as pallbearers, as befitted a royal knight of his rank.

Glimmer had initially pushed for a closed casket event, but she had to admit she was impressed with how much the royal tailor had accomplished, given that his head had never been found. He almost looked like he might spring up and ask whether the tea was ready yet. But Glimmer knew he wouldn’t.

“Never again,” she whispered.


End file.
